Indecent assaults – ex-teacher jailed

A FORMER Cleckheaton teacher has been jailed for 30 months for indecently assaulting four boys in his care while teaching in Scarborough.

Simon Peter Fisher, 40, committed the offences between October 1989 and July 1991 when he was employed as a maths teacher and assistant boarding master at Scarborough College.

Judge Jim Spencer, sitting at Leeds Crown Court, said: “You abused your position when assaulting these boys. Not only was it a breach of trust, it was also potentially damaging to these children.

“I take into account these offences were a long time ago, it was your first teaching post and you didn’t have the self-discipline an older man might have done but when all said and done that is the only mitigation here.”

Fisher had originally denied all of the charges but was found guilty of indecently assaulting boys of 14, 15 and 17 after a three-day trial at York Crown Court in October.

The jury was released after failing to agree on a verdict for the offences against a 12-year-old boy and a re-trial was due to start this week.

On Monday Fisher admitted a further two counts of indecent assault, at which point his victim broke down and had to be led out of court.

Fisher, whose last address before his arrest last year was Sunnybank Road, Mirfield, was sentenced on Tuesday.

Mark Mckone, defending, said: “He has already been greatly punished by these proceedings which have destroyed his life and his previous good character.”